Portable, collapsible easel



April 25, 1961 M. E. HOWARD 2,981,231

PORTABLE, COLLAPSIBLE EASEL Filed Oct. l. 1957 INVENTOR. 68 MARYE.HOWARD A7' TOR NE Y United States Patent() 2,981,231 PORTABLE,COLLAPSIBLE EASEL Mary E. Howard, 823 Harmon Drive, Mamaroneck, N.Y.Filed Oct. 1, 1957, Ser. No. 687,514 2 Claims. (Cl. 120-33) Thisinvention relates to an easel and in particular to an easel adapted tosupport copy for such uses as those which a copyist may require of it.

It is a fundamental observation that copy Work requires certainmechanical aids to relieve its tedious aspect and to improve itsefliciency. Though there are many aids available for displaying copy toa copyist, they all have some deficiency', not the least of which istheir awkwardness, rigidity andv costliness. Also, a copyist actuallyWorking at a desk requires access to certain minor tools such as pencilsand erasers, and in the interest of having these readily accessible,means for providing them immediately would also be desirable.

It is, accordingly, a fundamental object of this invention to provide aneasel suitable for being propped in a spot most convenient to use, theeasel being equipped to support at least a conventional page size ofcopy and, further, being equipped with an alignment device to select theline being copied, as Well as support means for pencils, erasers, clips,and rubber bands.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obviousand in part appear hereinafter.

The invention, accordingly, is embodied in a portable, collapsible easelcharacterized by its having a work board, clips for holding the copy,and vertical grooves or channels in combination with a straightedge orruler for aligning the copy to bev reproduced, the easel being furtherequipped with a side panel for carrying pencils and other tools as wellas being equipped with a rear support to permit propping it on a worktable in a spot for convenient use.

Reference to the drawing illustrating further details will aid inunderstanding ings- Figure 1 is a general perspective view of an easelformed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the alignment device;

Figure 4 is a rear view of the device; and

Figure 5 is a detailed drawing showing alternative mechanism useful forthe alignment device.

In Figure l, represents the general easel structure which is composed ofa board 11 having a top edge 12 and a bottom edge 13. The board ispreferably formed as a planar sheet large enough to take, for example, asheet of legal cap and along both its longitudinal edges 14 and 15 it isbent to form sides 16 and 17, or to form channels which extendsubstantially the length of the board.

Side 17 is completed by being turned out to form face 18. Similarly,edge 14 is paralleled by side 16 which further terminates in face 19.Planar faces 18 and 19 are of restricted extent and narrower than themain board itself. Carried by the face 18 are the supports 21, 22, 23,24, 25 and 26, which in this case are indicated to be of a shape toreceive pencils and such odd items as erasers, paper clips or rubberbands.

The board 11 itself is provided at its upper edge 12 the invention. Inthe drawwith spring clips 30 and 31, which may be integral with the face11 or may be separate spring clips separately manipulatable.

Figure 2 which is a section Vtaken along line 2-2 of Figure l, indicatesthe contour of the device and, by its contour, demonstrates how aptly itis designed for production in large numbers. That is, it can be formedof a single sheet extruded, injection molded, or stamped, and whether itbe of plastic, sheet metal or such wood products as Masonite, and thelike, the only consideration necessary is that which would be dictatedby the properl ties of the material being fabricated into a shape of thekind shown.

To serve as reading guide, a member 40 having a straightedgeis providedand, inthe preferred form, 'it carries a centrally located spring bend41 which serves as a finger grip. The ends are formed with short bends42 and 43 to form bearing surfaces and are then terminated with lateralends 44 and 45. This particular configuration is useful, because of itsadaptability to fabrication. The board sides are grooved at 50 and 51,either by cutting or stamping out the said grooves or merely providingcorresponding indentations. 'I'he straightedge at its ends 44 and 45rides in the grooves 50 and 51.

Groove 50 is provided with an extra cutout 52 to simplify insertion ofguide 40. The cutout is also formed at a level immediately below clips30 and 31 to avoid interference between these parts of the structure.

An alternative structure is shown in detail in Figure 5. Therein amodified form of board `60 is shown having arcuate channels 61 and 62formed longitudinally along its sides. The sides 63 and 64 of the boardare raised to provide a bearing surface for the straightedge or readingguide alignmen Reading guide 65 carries a central spring 66 and verticalends 67 and 68. 'Ihe vertical ends 67 and 68 in general are preferablyformed to place the level of the alignment device 65 about 1/2 inchabove the level of the board to permit moving it easily over a packageof copy, for example, a stenographers notebook.

To permit quick adjustment of the alignment device and also to guide itin the vertical movement, the ends are formed with arcuate members '69and 70 to fit the grooves 61 and 62. This fitting of an arcuate channelwithin a channel serves to guide the alignment device accurately as itneed be moved up or down the board.

Lubrication may be provided in the channels 61 and 62 and friction areason the vertical portions 67 and 68. In use the spring member 66 iscompressed with finger pressure, thereby loosening the guide andpermitting it to be moved to find a line to be copied.

Stops may be provided at the lower ends of the channels 61 and 62 toretain the straightedge within bounds when grooves are used.

The propping of the easel on a desk may be suitably accomplished byproviding the back with a simple frame support consisting of frictionloops 81 and 82 with the frame 83 substantially duplicating the outlineof the board. The frame 83 at its ends is fitted within the loops 81 and82 and may be provided with simple detent structure 84 and 85, bybending the ends of the frame 83 at an appropriate angle to limit theangle of separation between the frame and the board, all as shown inFigure 4. It is evident that with a metal or plastic easel, the loops 81and 82 may be integral with the board.

The frame support may be made of wire and it is quite evident from thestructure described that it can be bent slightly, within its degree ofelasticity, and removed from the supports.

The easel may be formed of wood, sheet metal, plastic, plastic board,etc., or any sheet material which can con- Paamiad` Apr. 25,19e/1festasi veniently be worked into the form illustrated. Moldingplastics of the phenol-formaldehyde, urea formaldehyde, or methacrylateester types may be used throughout to form all parts of the device.

Though they invention has been described in termsV of .only a limitednumber of embodiments, it is to be. understood that variations thereofmay be practiced without departing from'its spirit or scope.

What is claimed is: 1

1. An easel for supporting copy to be transcribed by a stenographercomprising a single planar sheet of material suitable for fabrication,Vsuch sheet being formed to have a generally rectangular configurationhaving parallel channels along two parallel sides, said sides defin-ving a planar surface to face an operator, said channels being open withrespect to said planar surface, means on said planar surface forsupporting copy resting against the face thereof, and a line guide forfinding and following a single horizontal line of copy when it issupported on said'planar surface, said parallel channels having lateralsides and said line guide being adapted to abut against the said lateralsides,rand spring means forming part of the said line guide forproviding for frictional engagement of said straightedge line guide withsides of said channels to hold it in place.

2. A device in accordance with claim l in which the means for finding aline of horizontal copy comprises straightedge sections, and springmeans in said straightedge urging its ends longitudinally away fromcenter.

References Cited in the tile of this patent VUNITED STATES PATENTSWaggoner Sept. 18,

